This invention relates to a portable sunshield which is particularly effective for use in protecting and preserving portions of automobile interiors. As the cost of automotive transportation has spiralled, so too have consumers become increasingly concerned with preserving and protecting their investments, and particularly the visual appearance of those vehicles which can drastically affect resale values. In a similar vein the high cost associated with purchasing a new automobile results in a need for many to retain their used automobile for greater periods of time. Accordingly, this class of automotive owner is also concerned with preserving the aesthetic as well as mechanical characteristics of the automobile in order to forestall the premature desire for a new vehicle due to fading of fabric colors or due to unsightly cracks in portions of the interior, and notably in the dash and rear deck portions which are generally extruded from plastic material.
Direct sunlight has long been the principal nemesis of automobile interiors, and in turn for the automobile owners who seek to preserve the value and quality of their cars or trucks. In order to combat the deteriorating effects of the sun, a plethora of potential solutions have been suggested over the years ranging from chemical formulations to physical screening devices. The chemical means, which have been particularly touted in commercial markets in recent years, require repeated periodic applications and are not suitable for fabric lined interior portions which are particularly susceptible to fading and discoloration over years of exposure.
Physical sunscreening devices for automotive interiors such as those described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,804,914 and 4,118,066 are mounted in the automobiles, generally under the seats, thereby requiring the provision of additional hardware and correspondingly limiting their flexibility. Moreover, these devices are adapted for use only on the seats of the vehicles and do not provide protection for the dash or rear deck surfaces which are particularly vulnerable areas requiring screening. Accordingly, the limitations associated with these constructions have prevented them from achieving commercialization.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a sunshield which is portable so as to avoid the necessity for modifying the interior of an automobile or for providing auxiliary hardware. It is a further object of the invention to provide a sunshield construction which may be effectively used in preselected portions of the automobile interior, particularly on the dash and rear deck areas.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a sunshield construction which is adaptable to a wide range of automobile constructions ranging from compact to full-sized vehicles. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a sunshield which may be compactly folded for storage in the automobile when not in use.